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Maharashtra Vishnupaad Temple At Pandharpur
Vishnupaad, in Sanskrit, literally means Paada or feet of Lord Vishnu. This is one of the most beautiful temples in Maharashtra as it is situated on the shore of the river Chandrabhaga. The beauty of the temple is further aggravated by the beauty of the river. This is a very scenic temple and attracts visitors just for the sheer location and the peace it provides to devotees who throng to the temple.
History
This temple is literally the Lord’s feet and the devotees who visit here are simply enthralled by the beauty of the temple and they feel blessed while visiting here. Lord Krishna is the presiding deity here. The temple resembles a large hall and everybody feels welcome here. This is quite an old temple and sees large number of visitors during festivals that are special for Lord Vishnu. The temple is scenically located on the shore of the river Chandrabhaga and is connected to the shore by beautiful ramps.
Architecture
This temple was built using stone masonry technique and there is exquisite stone-work everywhere on the temple. There are totally 16 strong pillars made of stone and these are connected to the roof. All the pillars are beautifully engraved with marvellous images of Lord Krishna and Lord Vishnu in their various postures and different avatars. The feet of the Lord are given immense importance and the lotus feet are engraved on a rock, which in turn is placed on a square. There are footprints of the Lord in different positions on the rock and there are also footprints of a cow that is embedded into these footprints some times.
Some of the footprints have the characteristic posture of Lord Krishna, in which He is standing on His left foot and the right foot is crossed and resting on his toes. Some footprints show the Lord resting on both his feet. This temple is situated on the river so the devotees should be careful while entering the temple as it can be fully submerged during heavy rains.
How to Reach
By Air
The airports that are the nearest to the temple are Pune (211km) and Mumbai (361km). From these airports, the devotees can choose any mode of transport to reach Pandharpur.
By Rail
Mohol is the nearest railway station which is 41km away from the temple. The other nearby stations is Kurduwadi which is 52km away and Solapur which is 73km away from the temple.
By Road
There are lots of taxi and car services from Solapur and Mohol to Pandharpur. These services are quite frequent and are very comfortable.
Important Shrines
Some of the important shrines in and around Pandharpur are Padmavati Mandir, Rukmini Mandir, Ambabai Mandir, Gopalpur, Namdev Mandir, Ram and Laxman Baag, Dhyaneshwar Mandir etc.
Significance of the Temple
This temple is very significant as it is located on the river Chandrabhaga and is known for its scenic beauty. This is one of the few temples in the country to be located on the river shore. It is connected to the ground through ramps.
Attraction
Some of the must visit places near Pandharpur are Sant Kaikadi Maharaj Math which is a depiction of the famous kings and saints. This is a huge area and takes a couple of hours to visit the entire math. Some other places of interest are Sant Tanapure Maharaj Math and the Gujarathi Devastan.
Weather and Time to Visit
Since this place is situated on the river, rainy seasons (June to August) must be avoided as the temple is likely to be submerged in the water. The months of September to November are quite cool and pleasant for visiting. Ashadi Ekadasi, Katiki Ekadasi and Maghi Ekadasi are major festivals in Pandharpur temple.
Accommodation
There are various hotels and other accommodation facilities in and around Pandharpur because this is a temple city and attracts lots of visitors throughout the year. These facilities are very comfortable for people who are looking for some cheap accommodation with no compromise on quality.
Tips for Devotees
Devotees are expected to be very silent and careful while inside the temple; because this being situated on the river shore can cause severe damage if the devotees are not cautious enough and focused on worship.
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